Riding the Winds of Fashion, Part 2

In Part One of Riding The Winds Of Fashion, I talked about the Hübner Variation of the Nimzo-Indian and how, at one time, it was one of the most fashionable openings in the world. In the main example (Bruce Leverett – Silman, National Open 1982) I explored typical positions where the center was fully closed. Most of the puzzles also came from closed centers.

But, since White has the two bishops, what happens if he keeps the center as fluid as possible? White has various ways of doing this, from leaving the basic central position as it is while developing his pieces to good squares, playing to rip the center open with a timely f2-f4 advance, or (after Black plays …e6-e5) trying to get the light-squared bishop to d5 via Nf3-d2-e4xf6 followed by Bd3-e4-d5, or Nf3-g5-e4xf6 followed by Bd3-e4-d5.

In Part Two, we’ll take a look at these kinds of quasi-closed, somewhat fluid centers in our main game (Gliksman – Silman), and in most of the puzzles.

Here are the general pros and cons of embracing a fashionable opening system:

PROS

If it’s fashionable, that means it’s usually both sound and interesting.

If it’s fashionable, a huge amount of games will be played with it, which will allow you to ride that rapidly growing theory wave.

CONS

Since so many people play it, the masses that have to face your fashionable system will work hard trying to discredit it.

Since theory will be rapidly changing, and since those changes will be easy to find for anyone with an up-to-date database, you are more or less forced to keep a close eye on any new games that features your system. Not everyone has that kind of work ethic.

A different strategy than the previous game. White will try to open the position for his bishops with f2-f4. Another idea is to play Ne4, swap knights, and then stick the light-squared bishop on the d5-hole via Bd3-e4-d5.

9...0-0

Black refuses to win a pawn by 9...exd4 10.cxd4 cxd4 11.exd4 Nxd4 since after 12.Bb2, White’s bishops would be very strong on their wide open diagonals. Once you know the ideas of your opening, you’ll easily avoid temptations like this.

10.d5 Ne7 11.f4

White is still trying to open up lines for his bishops. In addition, Black must take the threat of 12.f5 (gaining a crushing advantage in space) very seriously.

11...exf4 12.exf4

Again playing with the idea of 13.f5, White activates his dark-squared bishop and squeezes Black to death with his lack of territory. Note that 12.Rxf4 Ng6 gives Black access to the e5-hole and also leaves White’s e3-pawn vulnerable on the half-open e-file.

12...Bf5

A tremendously important move! This simultaneously exchanges White’s active bishop (and deprives White of his bishop pair) and stops the advance of White’s f-pawn in its tracks.

13.Qc2

This begins a battle for the f5-square. Less good is 13.Bxf5 Nxf5 14.Nf3 Qd7 when Black’s knights are quite lovely, while White’s bishop is quite pathetic.

13...Qd7

This maintains firm control over the f5-square. By fixing White f-pawn on f4, White’s bishop will be permanently blocked.

14.Ne4

14...Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Rae8 16.Bd2 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 f5!

This permanently blocks the position while creating a nice support point on e4 for the black knight and/or Rooks. Notice how the logic based on 6…Bxc3+ and 7…d6 has been carried out in crystal clear form: The bishop vs. knight battle has been won by Black.

18.Qd3 Nc8!

This has an obvious threat and a much deeper, hidden, purpose. If left alone, Black will surround White’s c4-pawn by ...Nb6 followed by ...Qa4. White can prevent this and chase the knight back with a2-a4-a5, but that brings White’s a-pawn into striking distance of Black’s b-pawn, allowing an eventual ...b7-b6 advance which will lead to the creation of a winning passed a-pawn for Black. The rest of the game was already clear to me (seriously); I only had to work out individual tactics, never allowing White to veer the game off the positional path I had foreseen.

19.Rfe1 Nb6

The threat of ...Qa4 is very annoying for White, so he stops it in the only way possible.

20.a4 Rxe1+ 21.Bxe1 Re8

Also possible is 21...Nxa4 22.Qd1 Nb6 23.Rxa7 Nxc4, but I didn’t see a need to give White any possible counterplay. I was much happier simply keeping his pieces contained and helpless.

22.a5 Nc8 23.Bh4 g6 24.Re1 Rxe1+ 25.Bxe1

This position clearly shows the shortcomings of computers. Houdini thinks it’s equal, while I was sure that White was doomed.

25...Qe7 26.Bf2 Kf7 27.Qb1 a6

The game is now over. Black’s plan: he will march his king over to c7 and play ...b7-b6. The passed a-pawn that results will prove decisive.

Suddenly the computer wakes up and realizes that something has gone terribly wrong for White.

36.Kg2 b6 37.Qa2 Kb7 38.axb6 Nxb6 39.Qe2 a5

I actually saw the structure of this position (with Black having a passed a-pawn, Black’s knight on b6 and king on b7) on move 18 (of course, it would be impossible to know exactly where the queens and White’s king would be). Hardly any calculation was needed. All it took was an understanding of the position’s fundamentals (a minor piece advantage and White’s structural woes). Of course, this kind of thing is quite rare, but being on top of the strategic details in all the openings you play will guarantee a massive improvement in your results.

The Hübner Variation of the Nimzo-Indian is an awesome opening. But, as I said earlier, when you ride the winds of fashion, and if that fashion is causing the other side serious pain, the world will unite in trying to destroy it. That means your favorite opening will always be under the gun, and one example of that “gun” was Bareev’s 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.0-0 e5 9.Nd2 0-0 10.Rb1 b6 11.h3.

The idea is to keep the center fluid, which will ultimately (if things go well for White) allow the bishops to show their stuff. Of course, White will always threaten d4-d5, gaining central space if a favorable moment presents itself. One nice thing about it is that Black doesn’t get the closed positions he likes, and thus, he has to find new ideas and plans (in other words, Black’s been taken out of his comfort zone). However, this is hardly earth-shaking!

The game A. Korobov – T. Polak, Plovdiv 2010 (an impressive White win) was the game that brought down the Hübner “house.” Let’s take a look:

As usual, quite a few Hübner fans freaked out. Panic was etched on the faces of Nimzo-Indian adherents. Frogs rained down from the heavens. Mass suicide became a common occurrence at chess events. The Dark Ages had, without any doubt, returned.

Since then, lots of grandmasters have come back to the Black side of the Hübner, which is a clear sign that they don’t fear the Bareev line. In fact, even Korobov, the man that shook the very foundation of the Hübner, has tried the Black side!

I’ve seen this kind of thing occur over and over again in a multitude of openings. One side is doing great, theorists work overtime and find an answer, and folks everywhere announce that the “beast is dead.” However, if the opening is sound in concept and structure, the beast is never dead. Eventually a counter is found, then a counter to the counter appears, and on and on it goes. That’s life in the fashion lane!

PUZZLES

When preparing an opening, you need to look at the analysis in books and also play over tons of games featuring the system in question. These puzzles (all from games using the Hübner Variation) show the kinds of things you’ll learn about your new opening when you explore the way the big guys handle it.

Puzzle 1:

In this game White is doing everything he can to rip the center open. In the end he succeeds, but Black is the one who takes advantage of it!

In the puzzle, White has just played 21.Qe2-g4 threatening the d7-Knight, Qe6+ in some lines, and (if the d7-Knight moves to b6 or b8) fxe5 when Bxh6 is primed and ready to go. How should Black deal with this? Do take note that White’s “eternal weakness” on c4 is in very bad shape.

In our puzzle, the 2517 rated Zilka (an International Master) gives this (in my view, highly dubious) gambit a go against a 2145 opponent and gets eviscerated! The puzzle starts with White having 2 bishops vs. 2 knights, and White also has an extra pawn. However, Black has a raging attack against White’s King.